One cryptic note. Five names. Two of those names are already dead.

Detective Barnes has seen some horrific sights. But nothing like this. The dead man is slumped against a wall, head lolling forward, hands hanging limply. He seems to be cradling something in his lap. 

Barnes creeps closer — and recoils in shock. The victim has been disembowelled — while he was still alive. 

Four days later, a second body is found in a deserted amusement park on the harbour front. Another middle-aged man. Vicious slash wounds across his chest. 

Does Barnes have a serial killer on his patch? 

The one thing Barnes is sure of is that there is real rage behind these killings. These men weren’t selected at random. 

But he has no victim ID. No suspect. No motive. 

Then a note is delivered anonymously to the station. On it is a list of five names. And a message: He is coming. 

Two of those names are already dead. Barnes is in a race against time to find the other three before it’s too late. 

This brilliant crime thriller full of twists by a serving police officer is perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Helen H. Durrant, Peter James, Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, J.D. Kirk or J.M. Dalgliesh. 

READERS LOVE THE DETECTIVE BARNES THRILLERS: 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow, this book was a total rollercoaster ride from start to finish.’ Linda 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Action-packed, gripping . . . A cracking book.’ Carole G. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Action-packed. It did not let up, and I loved every second of it.’ Jacquelyn D. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The storyline was intense and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.’ Catherine B. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘There were many action-packed twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it! The author is a serving police officer. I think that really made the book come to life.’ M. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Plenty of tension and unexpected twists. What a ride! . . . This is one of the best series in the genre.’ Martha B. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A propulsive plot bubbling with unexpected twists.’ Ruth G. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A very fast-paced, thrilling read with plenty of action that kept me hooked.’ Anne M. 

THE DETECTIVE 

DI Rutherford Barnes is no longer the ambitious, idealistic young police constable he was when he joined the force. Fifteen years with the police has left him world-weary and a touch cynical. He’s a dedicated police officer, although he’s made mistakes, ruffled too many feathers during the course of his career — and is no longer on the fast track to promotion. No one has ever been brought to justice for the murder of his wife, and it remains a constant running sore.

THE SETTING 

Set against the picturesque landscape of the South Downs, the Sussex seaside town of Eastbourne is packed with tourists during the summer — but it can seem pretty dismal during the winter months. Only fifty-odd miles from London, the town is not immune to the violence which occasionally spills over from the city. Pockets of deprivation and criminality exist alongside reminders of Eastbourne’s more genteel past in the grand Victorian hotels that line the seafront, the pier and the bandstand. The town also boasts one of Britain’s best-known — and most infamous — beauty spots, Beachy Head.

THE AUTHOR 

Adam Lyndon has been a serving UK police officer for more than twenty years, working across a range of disciplines including uniformed ops, firearms command and as a detective in CID and specialist investigations.

ALSO BY ADAM LYNDON 

DETECTIVE RUTHERFORD BARNES MYSTERIES

Book 1: DEVIL’S CHIMNEY

Book 2: BEACHY HEAD

Book 3: BURNT OUT SECRETS

Book 4: THE CHALK MAN

Book 5: FIVE NAMES